Canada makes plans to re-enter the space race

April 30, 2012

The United States has stopped sending shuttles into space, making Russia the major player in the space race these days, but Canada might soon be getting on board as well. The Canadian Space Agency (CSA), while not one of the leaders in interstellar exploration, did help to build the International Space Station, but things have remained relatively dormant since the turn of the century, The Ottawa Citizen reports.

"There are nuts and bolts of different projects that we're committed to, but in terms of growing the business in space exploration in Canada, that's still a tough call right now," Mike Dixon, an expert in life support in space from the University of Guelph, told the news source.

Last week, the CSA announced it has contracted Composites Atlantic Ltd. for $589,000 to build solar panels intended for satellites, The Chronicle Herald reports. These panels will be designed for use just outside Earth's atmosphere, so Canada appears to be taking baby steps into space for now. The Citizen indicates the nation's budget is not in an ideal place for major advancements in space exploration.